Help protect a fragile ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest

Thank you for your interest in this petition, however, the comment period is now closed. You may read or sign, but no additional signatures will be sent to the Washington Department of Ecology at this time.

The Washington Department of Ecology is examining an application to allow an imidacloprid insecticide application to the waters of Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. The use of imidacloprid is intended to control two native species of burrowing shrimp, ghost shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis) and mud shrimp (Upogebia pugettensis), which are negatively affecting oyster farming.

Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) has been following this issue. We’ve researched scientific data on this pesticide and we have reviewed the draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). We will soon submit a comment letter which raises serious concerns about the conclusions by the Department of Ecology and possible approval of the use of imidacloprid in a tidal area.

Petition Text:

"We, the undersigned, support efforts to protect this fragile ecosystem from a potentially dangerous pesticide application. This plan is understudied, inadequate and fails to protect community and environmental health!

We support timely efforts to expand promising alternatives to neonicotinoids and to increase their feasibility and effectiveness. Investments should be made in educational, technical, financial, policy, and market support to accelerate adoption of alternatives rather than continuing to rely on highly toxic pesticides. Research and demonstration are needed to determine and improve the most effective alternatives and their respective potential and feasibility for farms of different sizes, locations, shrimp population density, and access to equipment. The state should invest its resources in these efforts prior to and instead of allowing toxic contamination of state estuaries.

Department of Ecology must protect Washington’s water, wildlife, public health, and local economies from the harmful impacts of toxic pesticides. The future of oyster farming in Washington State depends on the industry’s ability to adopt sustainable cultural and management strategies."

Tens of thousands of pesticides are registered which are constantly changing. Formulations also are constantly changing. There are no checks and balances which includes staff and funding to independently evaluate these pesticides. Data is industry produced. Until there is funding and adequate environmental protection of human, fishery, and animal habitat, hands off micro-managing the environment with toxic chemicals! There are too many questions for safe use and long term effects.

I have a wonderful memory of a visit to Willapa Bay about 5 years ago. We ate freshly harvested oysters and local organic vegetables. Please protect this very fragile native ecosystem and do not allow pesticides to be used.

Ecology should not be “testing” an area of open water with a broad spectrum pesticide for the benefit of one shellfish grower, because of where his property is situated. he is not guaranteed a “right” to grow shellfish, if they just won’t grow in that location. It is unbelievable that we should be harming native aquatic organisms for the benefit of the shellfish industry, period. There is no public benefit in this action, only private, therefore it should not meet the test for SEPA. Also, without including in the study the broad scale ecosystem effects on other organisms with unknown or to date undocumented roles in the ecosystem food chain, it is irresponsible to perform this study. At the very least, documenting the longevity, and the impacts to other species in the sediment and water columns should be tested before this study goes forward, rather than use WA State waters and organisms as guinea pigs for no public benefit or reason, other than the desires of one farmer. This study could upset a balance during a time of changing sea levels that tips the system toward further risk of invasive species colonization, negatively effecting the entire shellfish(including crab) and sea food industries, as well as recreational fishing. Is the role of ghost shrimp fully understood in ecoysystem resilience for instance? Performing studies with harmful substances in open water is the height of irresponsibility, especially knowing that this is a broad spectrum toxicant. Spraying poisons in our waters, when so many millions of dollars are spent each year on restoring salmon is just plain stupid and it is also not in alignment with WA state residents interests and wishes, nor is it in alignment with WA state law. Even if the treatment is found to be effective on ghost shrimp and the other shrimp, the industry will not be using this broadscale toxicant due to public opinion who will not buy the shellfish if this is done. This would be damaging to the shellfish industry as a whole. And without testing of the effects on the other organisms in the system, this “study” does not really address the real question- is it safe? And can we really test the cumulative effects over time of this pesticide?